West Bengal medical colleges granted a 150 MBBS seat hike

Kolkata: A Durgapur-based private medical college offering undergraduate courses has been given an approval for 150 seats by the Medical Council of India(MCI). This addition of seats gives the state a hike from the present 2,400 to 2,550 seats. The hike in seats is a reason for many an undergraduate aspirant to cheer.

The council has given the college permission to take in 150 students for this year’s academic year. Last year, the permission for admission on these 150 seats was declined to the college, by the MCI, due to infrastructural deficiencies.

“Though the college took the matter to the apex court, it was late for admissions even after a favorable judgment. As a result, many lost out on the opportunity to enroll for MBBS courses,” a college representative told TOI. “The college will admit 150 students this year. This will be for a period of five years and no inspection will be done in between,”he added,

Of the 150 seats, 50 allocations are to be for domicile NEET qualifiers and the rest are to be allotted to the management quota.

The MCI approval calls for the allocation of 50 permanent seats each, in Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education & Research, Burdwan Medical College and Hospital and Bankura Sammilani Medical College and Hospital.

“Till last year, each of the three colleges offered 150 seats for MBBS studies. But permission for admissions to 50 seats had to be renewed every year from MCI as they were ‘permitted’ seats. From this year, the three colleges will not be required to take yearly permission as all 150 seats have been made permanent. MCI conducts an inspection for permanent seats only after five years,” a source said.

“The number of medical seats in Bengal has increased manifold. At present, the 17 medical colleges in the state have around 2,400 seats. If 150 seats are added, the intake will rise up to 2,550 seats,” a senior health department source, informed TOI.